Exploring the local and the dynamic universe with the Mephisto
by
Tsung-Dao Lee Institute/N6F-N601 - Meeting Room
Tsung-Dao Lee Institute
Host: Dong Lai
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Abstract:
Mephisto is a 1.6m Multi-channel photometric survey telescope developed at SWIFAR of YNU. The telescope has a 1.6-m primary mirror, a 2.25 sq.deg. usable field of view (FoV), and is equipped with three big mosaic CCD cameras totaling 1 billion pixels. Via innovative optical design, it combines a large light-collecting aperture, a large FoV, and multi-channel high-precision imaging, and can capture images in three bands simultaneously, providing ultra-high-precision photometry and color information of celestial objects and delivering 'true-color documentaries' of the dynamic universe. The photometric system consisting of six bands in total (uvgriz) covers the whole optical wavelength range from the near UV (320nm) to the far-red (1um), and is optimized for stellar atmospheric parameter determinations. The telescope was first installed at the Gaomeigu observatory in October 2022 with a pilot optical system covering 1/4 of the full FoV with two and, one year later, three single-sensor CCD cameras. The full optical system covering the whole FoV was recently successfully installed, along with three mosaic CCD cameras. In this talk, I will outline the motivation, development, commissioning and early scientific results of the project, as well as its future plan.
Biography:
Cheung Kong Scholar of Ministry of Education (1999), Awardee of the National Natural Science Foundation of China for Distinguished Young Scholars (2003), Yunnan University Chair Professor (2017-), Founding Director of South-western Institute for Astronomy Research at Yunnan University (SWIFAR-YNU; 2017-); Yunnan Science and Technology Leading Talents (2018-); ISC-CHINA Member (2019-); ICSU-CHINA Member (2016-2019); Vice President of the International Astronomical Union (IAU; 2012-2018), Vice President of Chinese Astronomical Society (CAS; 2014-2018); 973 Project Principle Investigator (2014-2018); Cheung Kong Professor of Peking University (1999-2017), Boya Chair Professor of Peking University (2017); A major founder of the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University (KIAA-PKU), serving as Associate Director (2007-2011) and Deputy Director (2012-2013); Advanced Fellow of Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council of UK (1999-2002); PhD of Astrophysics of Beijing Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences (1992; 1989-1992 Visiting student of European Southern Observatory), Bachelor of Astrophysics of Peking University (1986). 
